Electronic devices such as personal computers, servers, and digital versatile disks (DVD) players are ubiquitous in everyday life. Electronic devices can employ a housing which can define an internal volume. Various electrical components, such as processors, can be supported by the housing within the internal volume.
FIGS. 1a-1b illustrate an example of an electronic device. FIG. 1a represents a front elevational view, while FIG. 1b illustrates a perspective view. In this particular example electronic device 100 comprises a server. Electronic device 100 can comprise a housing 110. The housing can have a top component 120, a bottom component 122, first and second sidewall components 124, 126, a front component 128 and a back component, which is not specifically illustrated in these views but which can generally oppose front component 128. Sidewall components 124, 126 may extend between a top portion 134, 136 respectively which intersects top component 120, and bottom portion 138, 140 respectively which intersects bottom component 122. In these illustrated embodiments, electronic device 100 has a width w which extends between sidewall components 124, 126 and generally parallel to the x-axis, a length l which extends between front component 122 and the back component and lies generally parallel the y-axis, and a height h which extends between top component 120 and bottom component 122 and which lies generally parallel the z-axis.
FIGS. 2a-2c illustrate cross-sectional representations taken along the xz-plane as indicated in FIG. 1b. FIG. 2a illustrates housing 110 prior to loading electrical components. FIG. 2b illustrates several electrical components 202a-202d within housing 110. Examples of electrical components can include, but are not limited to, processors, read only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), transformers, among others, and/or an assortment of such components.
In this particular embodiment bottom component 122 is supported by feet or pads 206a, 206b which are configured to be positioned against a supporting surface 208 which is not a component of electronic device 100.
FIG. 2b illustrates electronic device 100 with electrical components 202a, 202b, 202c, and 202d positioned on and supported by bottom component 122. The weight of electrical components 202a-202d can cause at least a portion of bottom component 122 to distend or sag below the xy-plane and away from top component 120. In this instance the portion of bottom component 122 extending between pads 206a, 206b is sagging relative to the xy-plane. Sagging can become more pronounced with increasing electrical component densities and/or weight within a housing.
FIG. 2c-2d illustrate an alternative configuration where electronic device 100 is supported on bottom component 122 proximate the sidewall bottom portions 138, 140. FIG. 2c illustrates a cross-sectional view similar to that illustrated in FIG. 2b. FIG. 2d illustrates a front elevational representation of a rack 230 configured to support multiple electronic devices. In this particular instance electronic device 100 can be supported by two supports 232, 234 which extend from generally opposing directions under a portion of bottom component 122. As illustrated in FIG. 2d, support 234 extends generally horizontally from a vertical structural member 240 of rack 230.
In the configuration illustrated in FIGS. 2c-2d, the electrical components 202a-202d may cause a portion of bottom component 122, to sag from the generally planar configuration illustrated in FIG. 2a to below the xy-plane. In this instance the portion of bottom component 122 extending between supports 232, 234 is sagging in a direction opposite top component 120 and below the xy-plane.
Sagging of an electronic device's housing can limit design parameters related to the electronic device and/or racks associated with the electronic device. For example, sagging of bottom component 122 may prevent insertion of electronic device 100 into rack 230 if such sagging causes a height dimension h1 to exceed the allocated height dimension h2 of rack 230.